Cold snap has Montreal's homeless looking for warmth

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The increasingly cold winter nights have many of Montreal's most needy looking for warm beds in some of the city's homeless shelters.

Staff at the Old Brewery Mission in downtown Montreal said the need for shelters has been increasing steadily since temperatures began dropping in early December, but the key is to work together to help the most needy.

Matthew Pearce, the mission's director general, said shelters will do their best to accommodate everyone.

He said more than 600 people are looking for a place to sleep at night.

"Nobody is left behind. Anyone that comes to our door will have a place tonight. It may not be at the mission, but we have a shuttle service. If it's full here, that will take them to a shelter that has space, often, the Welcome Hall Mission," said Pearce.

The mission also depends on help from the Maison du Père. The shelter will often add mattresses on the cafeteria floor if the beds are occupied.

A new coffee shop at the Old Brewery Mission also allows people to access the internet and have free coffee. The place also doubles as a place where people can spend cold days indoors.

Staff at the mission say people in need of a place to stay should be registered and signed in by 7 p.m. or they could be taken to another shelter or will have to sleep on the floor on a spare mattress.

Montreal police also said they're doing their best to take anyone who is left out in the cold into a warm shelter.